Is the Blood Type Diet, just another Fad Diet?
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008The blood type diet is gaining a great deal of popularity. It began in 1996 after the publication of a book that stated the importance of blood type in determining nutritional needs. This diet is a balance of several different types of nutrition tips, and advice based on a large amount of research and investigation into how blood type affects your ability to digest certain foods.
Blood type diets begin with finding out the dieter’s blood type. Depending on whether you are A, B, O or AB blood, you will have different nutritional and exercise needs. In order to determine your blood test, you can order a home kit, or have your physician perform the test for you. Your blood type is determined by two different protein factors housed on the surface of your red blood cells. These factors are the ABO and RH groups.
After you have determined your blood type, there will be several different of areas that you can move into. According to this diet, there are specific dietary requirements that each blood type should concentrate on. For example, each different blood type may differ in their ability to digest starches and meats. Each blood type group will also require a different balance of herbs, vitamins, and supplements. There is also information about symptoms, diseases, conditions and medications that are directly related to blood types.
When you have determined your blood type, as well as related health conditions, then you can begin to find several resources to help change in your lifestyle. There are several recipes and recommendations on how to realign your diet and food choices. There are also several websites and informational centers that you can use to help begin your diet, or to give support while changing your dietary habits.
Several have called the blood type diet a ‘fad diet’ that does not have the requisite scientific testing to back it up. There are also several others that contend blood type does not make a difference, and that there is a balance of nutrients that is required by human beings as a species, and blood type is not a viable characteristic upon which to make changes. This is important information to consider if you are looking at the differing feedback on this diet.
The blood type diet is a way to determine the nutritional values that you need based on two protein groups found on your red blood cells. These groups, in turn, indicate where your ancestors came from, and what they ate. By determining your blood type, you can then alter your diet so that you focus on the foods that your ancestors evolved with. Before deciding to begin the blood type diet, it is important to consider the planned changes in comparison with what is known about overall dietary requirements.
Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Nutrition & Health.
Tags: blood type diet, diet, exercise, fad diet, Nutrition & Health, vitamins
